Situated in the village of Keezhadi near Madurai, Tamil Nadu, the Keezhadi Museum, also referred to as the Keeladi Museum, is an archaeological institution with a specific focus. It is committed to presenting the remarkable archaeological discoveries unearthed at the Keezhadi excavation site. These findings have significantly contributed to our understanding of the historical and cultural heritage of the region.

Archaeological Significance of Keezhadi excavation:

The archaeological importance of the Keezhadi excavation site extends to unraveling the enigmas of ancient Tamil Nadu and the broader Indian subcontinent.

• Discoveries from the Sangam Era: Keezhadi has yielded findings that trace their origins to the Sangam era, a significant period spanning from the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE in the annals of Tamil Nadu’s history. These artifacts and architectural remains offer a window into the lifestyle, culture, and societal structures of that era.
• Evidences of Urbanization and Commerce: The revelations at Keezhadi hint at an early urban civilization flourishing in the region, characterized by meticulously planned streets and well-constructed edifices. The presence of a diverse array of artifacts, including pottery, seals, and inscriptions, underscores the existence of a sophisticated society actively engaged in trade and the exchange of cultural ideas.
• Script and Language: One of the most significant findings at Keezhadi is the presence of Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions, which provide valuable evidence of early Tamil script and language. These inscriptions offer a unique window into the linguistic evolution of the Tamil language.
• Grains and Storage Facilities: The discovery of grains and storage facilities suggests that agriculture and food storage were crucial aspects of life in the region. This finding also indicates an advanced level of urban planning.
• Ornaments and Jewelry: Various ornaments and jewelry items made from materials like gold, ivory, and copper have been discovered. These items reflect the artistic and aesthetic sensibilities of the time and are indicative of the people’s craftsmanship.
• Cultural Practices: Artistic and cultural artifacts found at the site, including sculptures, figurines, and pottery, offer insights into the religious and artistic practices of the people who lived at Keezhadi during the Sangam era. These artifacts contribute to the understanding of the cultural and artistic heritage of the region.
• Historical Narratives: Keezhadi’s discoveries have prompted historians and scholars to revisit and reassess the historical narratives of Tamil Nadu. The site challenges previous assumptions about the early history of the region and underscores the need for a more comprehensive and accurate historical account.

Educational and Public Awareness:

The historical interpretation of Keezhadi is not limited to academic circles. It has generated immense interest among the public and served as an educational resource for people interested in their cultural heritage. The site has become a symbol of pride and a source of historical knowledge for the local community and beyond.

• Educational Tours: The Keezhadi Museum and the excavation site have become destinations for school and college field trips. Educational institutions organize visits to the site and museum to provide students with hands-on learning experiences in archaeology, history, and culture.
• Research and Scholarly Work: The archaeological findings at Keezhadi have piqued the interest of researchers, historians, and archaeologists. They conduct in-depth studies, write research papers, and contribute to the scholarly understanding of the Sangam era and Tamil culture.
• Tourism and Economic Impact: Increased public awareness of Keezhadi has led to a rise in tourism to the region. This influx of visitors has not only educated people about the site but also boosted the local economy.
• Online Presence: Keezhadi and the museum have a presence on the internet, with websites, social media profiles, and virtual tours. These digital platforms provide a means for people to learn about the site and its historical significance.

How to reach Keezhadi:

• By Air: Madurai Airport (IXM), situated around 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Keezhadi, is the nearest major airport. Upon landing at the airport, you have the choice of either hiring a taxi or utilizing public transportation to make your way to Sivaganga.
• By Train: For those preferring the railway route, Sivaganga Railway Station is the closest station to Keeladi. You can board a train to Sivaganga from various cities within Tamil Nadu. Upon your arrival at the station, you can proceed to Keezhadi by hiring a taxi or utilizing local transportation.
• By Road: An alternative option is to reach Sivaganga by road. Multiple buses and private vehicles offer services connecting Sivaganga to various cities across Tamil Nadu. Utilizing the road network, you can easily access Sivaganga and subsequently continue your journey to Keezhadi.

Thirumayam Fort, located at a distance of 18 kilometres from Pudukkottai is a place of immense historical importance. The Fort comes under the supervision of the Archaeological Survey of India.

Facts about Thirumayam Fort

• The Thirumayam Fort is said to have been built in 1687 AD by the Raja of Ramnad, Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi.
• It was later on handed over to his brother in law, Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman.
• The Fort was constructed in a ring shape with seven concentric walls surrounded by a broad moat. The Fort, however, has only four walls surviving now.
• The Fort currently stands on a 40-acre wide fortress, the original structure being two times larger that what it is today.
• The Fort has been renovated to a great extent in the year 2012, it being one of the prominent tourist attractions of Pudukkottai District.
• The fort has three entrances from the north, south and east directions.
• The top of the rock has a bastion with a cannon of British origin
• There are three rock-cut temples on the other side of the rock, two of them dedicated to Lord Shiva and the third one dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
• A Durbar Hall with carved inscriptions and a pillared corridor, shrines dedicated to guardian deities Lord Hanuman, Ganapathi, Karuppar and Goddess Sakthi (towards the southern side), a natural pond (to the northwest side) and a tank (to the southeast) forms a part of the structure.
• Lord Shiva is worshipped in the temple in the form of Bhairava.

Fort timings

The Fort is open to the public from 6:00 AM to 12 NOON in the morning and from 4:00 AM to 6:00 PM in the evening.

How to reach Thirumayam Fort

Thirumayam Fort is located in Thirumayam on the Pudukkottai-Karaikudi Highway in Pudukkottai District. Pudukkottai town is well connected by road to major cities in Tamil Nadu. The nearest railway station is at Pudukottai (19 kilometres away). The nearest airport is at Tiruchirapalli (around 67 kilometres away).

State Government Museum – Vellore

Government Museum is located inside the premises of the Vellore Fort. The Museum was established in the year 1985 as the 6​th​ Museum in the district in order to spread knowledge about the erstwhile North Arcot District (present Vellore and Thiruvannalamai).

Its Significance

The district of Vellore has a wide historical and cultural significance. It has come under the reigns of different rulers – Pallavas, Cholas, Sambuvarayas and Vijayanagaras. The city has played a vital role in the history of Tamil Nadu and has served as the capital city during the last phase of Vijayanagar Empire.

Vellore Fort has stood the testimony of time with its ownership being passed at different points of time. The successors of Tipu Sultan and subsequently the last king of Sri Lanka Sri Vikrama Rajasinha were kept as captives inside the fortress.

Government Museum highlights these historical events and has a wide range of artifacts of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Geology, Botany and Zoological importance.

The Museum and its Galleries

A visit to the Museum takes you through a galore of knowledge of History, Art, Culture and Heritage of Vellore District. The Museum welcomes its visitors with a 16 feet high life size fiberglass model of Tyrannosaurus. Two 18​th​ century cannons unearthed from Vellore Fort are kept at the entry. The Museum has eight different galleries that attract tourists.

• ​Introductory Gallery about the District​​ – The Gallery displays photographs of monuments, prominent tourist places and geographical maps of Vellore and Thiruvannamalai.
• ​​Stone Sculptures Gallery​​ – Stone sculptures during the reign of different kingdoms like Pallava, Chola and Vijayanagar dynasties are displayed in the gallery.
• ​​Prehistoric and Philately Gallery​​ – Some of the prehistoric artifacts displayed in the gallery include stone tools, hand axes, burial urns and potteries of different kinds. Philately gallery has some rare displays of stamps of different countries.
• ​​Art Gallery​​ – Paintings that include oil colour, water colour and acrylic paintings of different artists are displayed in the gallery.
• ​​Natural Science Gallery​​ – The displays in this gallery include specimens of zoological importance, aquatic birds, marine organisms, medicinal plants, rocks, minerals and fossils.
• ​​Bronze Gallery​​ – This gallery has some of the unique and artistic bronze collections. Amballur Jain bronzes, collections from Vellore and Thiruvannamalai Districts and antiquities of the last ruler of Lanka Sri Vikrama Rajasinha are truly noteworthy.
• ​​Numismatic Gallery​​ – The gallery has some of the most interesting coins displayed.
• ​​Anthropology Gallery​​ – It depicts the life styles of tribal people through the many objects and ornaments that are placed here.

Vellore Museum’s Opening Time

The Museum is open on all days from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

How to reach Vellore Museum

Government Museum is located in the Vellore Fort. Vellore Fort is located at a distance of 138 kilometres from Chennai. Katpadi Junction in Vellore (around 7.5 kilometres north of the fort) is the nearest railway station.

Vellore is well connected by road and rail with all the major cities in South India. The nearest international airport is at Chennai, 128 kilometres east of Vellore.

Fort St. George Museum is one of the most famous museums in the city of Chennai. It was opened to the public from 31st January 1948.

Fort museum is home to a massive collection of around 3661 antique items. It depicts artifacts of different ages of modern Indian history. A treasure trove of a collection in this museum is spread across three floors and divided into 10 galleries. It displays interesting military memorable weapons and artwork from colonial times.

We can find various arms like rifles and pistols, mortars, petard, cannon shots, breastplates, swords, daggers, helmets, baton, bow, and arrow. This museum also displays pieces of shells fired during the World Wars. Everything related to the army is displayed in this museum. We can find the uniforms of various ranks of the British Army, the ceremonial dresses of Madras Governor’s Bodyguards and the Under Secretary of Madras Government, cushions used in the official investiture ceremony, 64 medals and medallions issued by the British Government for honoring its soldiers in various battles and also regimental colors of various units.

Among the most popular collections here are the depictions of two sons of Tipu Sultan as prisoners and paintings exhibiting constructions and renovation works that were carried out in ancient times. At the entrance, the information center, ticket counter and a help desk for physically challenged visitors with facilities like touch screen, audio guide, Braille brochure, wheelchair etc are made available.

An open-air kids gallery is in the rampart garden in front of the main entrance with a life-size cannon model along with its working mechanism and a life-size talking cannon model where the children are allowed to touch and learn. A small library with books related to the freedom movement in India is also available for the visitors.

Government Museum, Egmore, Chennai

It is a museum of human history and culture located on the Pantheon road. It is the second oldest museum in India. It is particularly rich in archaeological and numismatic collections. It also has Roman antiquities.

The colossal museum is one of the most impressive among them. The museum was built in Indo-Saracenic style. The museum complex consists of six buildings and around 50 galleries. The objects displayed in the museum covers a variety of artifacts concern about diverse fields including zoology, archeology, natural history, and sculptures.

It has works of artists like Raja Ravi Varma, palm leaf manuscripts and Amravati paintings. The museum for children in the complex has galleries of dolls adorned with costumes of various nations and civilizations. It also exhibits science, technology, and transportation. It has an impressive architecture in every division.

It also has a huge Whale skeleton hanging in mid-hall is the focal point. Few galleries are dedicated to the collection of stamps and coins from all over the world. It is a place to admire unseen things at cheap entry fees.

Official website of Government Museum Chennai: govtmuseumchennai.org

Tiruchirappalli District Museum

Tiruchirappalli Government Museum can give you the best experience of knowing the real heritage of India.

It is situated near Rani mangammal hall, singarathope, Trichy. Established in the year 1983, this museum showcases things related to geology, zoology, paintings, anthropology, epigraphy etc.

Here you can see a statue of Mahavira Gautam Buddha, Lord Vishnu, fossils of the ancient times, tools of the Paleolithic, Neolithic ages etc.

Manuscripts on palm leaf can be seen here. A rare collection of ancient coins, statues of Lord thirumala, Saint Manickavasagar, Goddess Durga, Lord Nataraj etc can also be seen here.

It is open on all days from 10 AM to 5 PM and is on leave on every Fridays.

Do visit the museum and spend your valuable time.